Inflatable structures, sold by applicant under the trademark AIRBEAM are characterized by low mass, low stowed volume for on-site deployment, overload tolerance and tailored strength and stiffness. Current applications use multiple deploy-strike cycles with inflation pressure maintained while in use.
The known inflatable structures are limited in size and load carrying by both manufacturing limitations and by material properties. This invention overcomes size limitations and improves strength and stiffness of very large inflatable structures.
The known inflatable structures are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,128 and 5,735,083. A high bias angle that elongates under pressure provides high bending strength in these structures. This invention, having added external tension elements, provides an increased moment of inertia for even greater strength and stiffness for a given inflatable structure. This invention is applicable to, but not limited to structures for shelters, bridges, deployable wings, and space structures.